Chapter 107
Chapter 5
The moment the words left my mouth, the room fell into dead silence.
Everyone’s eyes snapped back to the video.
The footage was dark and shaky-but the woman on the screen was unmistakable.
It was Celeste.
“This p>
She lunged forward and shut the video off, her fingers trembling violently, her eyes wide with panic.
“That’s impossible… How could that be me p>
“It can’t be… I didn’t p>
She shook her head frantically, as if the world she knew had just collapsed.
Inside, I quietly gave karmic backlash my
Outwardly, my eyes filled with tears.
thanks.
“Celeste,” I said softly, my voice breaking, “you kept saying I was making things up. But wasn’t it you who’s been framing me all along p>
As I spoke, I deliberately looked toward Dad and Mom, who were still frozen in shock.
“This is all my fault,” I continued, lowering my voice as if choking back sobs.
“If I hadn’t been taken away as a child, maybe you wouldn’t find it so easy to doubt me now p>
“The moment that video started playing, no one even looked twice p>
“You all just assumed it was me p>
I paused, lifting a hand to my burning cheek.
“Arden…” Dad finally came back to himself. His gaze fell on the red mark on my face, guilt flickering through
his eyes.
“I lost my temper,” he said stiffly. “I shouldn’t have hit you p>
Mom took my hand gently, then turned to Celeste, disappointment clear in her eyes.
“Celeste, what exactly is going on here p>
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“You accused Arden of sleeping around, of doing shameful things p>
“But those men were in your bed. The messages, the photos, the video p>
Her voice trembled.
“How could you have the nerve to frame her like this p>
Celeste’s face went deathly pale. Her eyes were swollen and red.
“I… I didn’t p>
She grabbed at Mom desperately.
“Mom, please listen to me! I really don’t know those men p>
“The video has nothing to do with me p>
Dad cut her off impatiently.
“At this point, you’re still denying it p>
“Celeste Whitmore,” he said coldly, “after everything you’ve done, you are no longer fit to be an Ashcroft p>
The color drained from her face.
Julian shot upright.
“Dad, what are you saying p>
He pulled Celeste into his arms and glared straight at me.
“This is all her doing p>
“She’s only been back for a few days, and look what she’s done to Celeste p>
He turned to Dad and Mom, almost pleading,
“Dad, Mom, don’t let her fool you p>
“You raised Celeste yourselves. She’s always been innocent-there’s no way she’d do something like this p>
“But Arden?” His voice hardened.
“She’s been out in the world for years. Who knows what she picked up out there p>
“She must have set Celeste up p>
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As he spoke, Celeste sobbed softly in his arms, perfectly in sync with his words.
“Dad… Mom…” she whispered weakly. “I don’t understand any of this either p>
“But if Arden really doesn’t want me here… I’ll leave p>
“After all… I was never your biological daughter p>
She forced a fragile smile and struggled to sit up, then collapsed.
Mom rushed to her side without hesitation.
“Celeste,” she said anxiously. “We’re not pushing you out of this family p>
“You’re our daughter. You don’t have to go anywhere p>
“Just lie down and rest p>
She hesitated, then added more quietly, “We just want to understand what’s really happening p>
Her gaze shifted back to me, waiting for an explanation.
I almost laughed.
All of this-every lie, every setup-was Celeste’s doing.
And now they wanted me to explain?
I had nothing to say.
But then again…I did have something I could give them.
Something very useful.
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